ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: High expression of p-glycoprotein (P-gp) has been associated with a poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is likely that P-gp overexpression is responsible for multidrug resistance in HCC. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to elucidate the effect of potent carcinogen nitrosamine with and without verapamil and rifampin drugs on P-gp expression at the mRNA level in HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four groups of rats (n = 5) were selected with different treatments and one group as control. mRNA concentration changes were monitored using quantitative PCR (QPCR). RESULTS: A significant difference was found between verapamil treated group and the control regarding the mRNA level. The mdr1a mRNA was significantly decreased in the verapamil group (P ≤ 0.001). Rifampin administrated group had a decreased level of the mdr1a mRNA compared to the control group (P ≤ 0.006). No significant changes were observed in HCC induced rats regarding the mdr1a mRNA level when treated with verapamil and rifampin. An enhanced expression of the mdr1a gene was found In the HCC induced animals when treated with drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Verapamil and rifampin were found specific and effective against P-gp expression in HCC. In conclusion, treatment efficacy of most anticancer drugs is increased in combination with verapamil and rifampin against most advanced HCC.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: An analysis performed on the collected data from the Local Drug and Poison Information Centre (DPIC) of Jundishapur University revealed that stings are the main causes of poisonings with frequency of 56%, followed by drug poisoning in 31%, and chemical exposure poisoning in 5.5% in Khuzestan, the southwestern province of Iran. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to report the prevalence of poisoning in Khuzestan province referred to hospitals during the year 2007, on the basis of documents from the local Drug and Poison Information Centre (DPIC) and the main Khuzestan Hospitals Discharge Registry, to elucidate demographic trends of poisoning in this region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, 3258 cases of poisoning including 4.7% of all admissions to hospitals of Khuzestan during one year (2007) were investigated. Antidepressant drugs were the main-drug category inducing poisoning (24.37%). Others include sedative-hypnotics (19%), tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) (14.7%) and cardiovascular drugs (11.4%). RESULTS: The research showed that most poisonings are occurred in autumn (29.6%) season. Besides the high poisoning rate of envenoming by animals in Khuzestan province, it seems that the pattern of poisoning is different with other Iran and worldwide regions. CONCLUSIONS: This may raise the attention of health service policy makers in Iran to establish a more effective diagnosis, management and implementing health policy services.
